HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED
COPY OF A BIRTH CERTIFICATE

You are entitled to obtain a
certified copy of a birth certificate if you are the person named on the
certificate (if eighteen (18) years of age), the parent(s) named on the birth
certificate, the guardian, or a legal representative of one of these.

Immediate family members and/or
their respective legal representatives may obtain a certified copy
with the submission of a certified copy of the corresponding death record.

The State Office of Vital Records
located at DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina issues two types of
birth certifications: (1) a short form certification (birth card)
and (2) a long form photocopy. The birth card is a wallet-size
certification that contains the birth certificate number, the name of the person
whose certificate is being issued, the date of birth, sex, the county of birth,
and the date the birth was filed. The long form (photocopy) is a copy of the
birth certificate contained in the active files of the Division of Vital
Records. Certified photocopies can ONLY be issued at the State Office location –
DHEC, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29201.

Each of South Carolina’s
forty-six (46) counties has a vital records office in the county health
department. The Division of Vital Records has put into place a project to allow
all forty-six (46) county vital records’ offices to issue short form
certifications (birth cards) for any South Carolina birth, regardless of the
county. This project is referred to as the Statewide Birth Certification
Project. The completion date for this project was April 03, 2000.
Statewide Birth Certification allows a customer to obtain a short form birth
card from any county health department regardless of where in South Carolina the
birth occurred.

The usual turnaround time
for birth certificates is more than six (6) weeks. For expedited service, please
visit
VitalChek . For more information, please click on
‘Additional Information’ bar.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A BIRTH RECORD

Full name of the person whose
birth certificate is being requested

Full date of birth (month,
day, year)

County of Birth

Mother’s full name before she
married

Full name of father

Signature of the person
requesting the birth certificate and their current mailing address

Relationship between the
person named on the birth certificate and the person requesting the certified
copy

The full name and complete
mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed.

Area code and daytime
telephone number of the person requesting the

Other information you consider
helpful in the search for the birth certificate (Example: full names and dates
of birth of brothers and sisters, nicknames, etc.)

HOW TO OBTAIN A CERTIFIED
COPY OF A DEATH CERTIFICATE

You are entitled to a certified
copy of a death certificate if you are a member of the decedent's family or if
you are their legal representative. Others who demonstrate a direct and tangible
interest may be issued copies when information is needed to determine a personal
or a property right. Other applicants may be provided a statement that the death
occurred, including the date and county of death. For additional information
contact the state office of the Division of Vital Records in Columbia, South
Carolina at (803) 898 3630.

Certified copies of death
certificates may be obtained from the state vital records office located at DHEC,
2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Certified copies of death certificates may
also be issued from the health department in the county of death. The county
vital records office can only certify deaths that occurred during the last five
years in their county.

The usual turnaround time
for death certificates is more than six (6) weeks. For expedited service, please
visit
VitalChek . For more information, please click on
‘Additional Information’ bar.

REQUIRED INFORMATION FOR A DEATH SEARCH

Full name of the person whose
death certificate is being requested

Full date of death (month,
day, year)

County where the person was
pronounced dead

The names of the decedent's
parents

Signature of the person
requesting the death certificate and their current mailing address

Relationship between the
person name on the death certificate and the person requesting the certified
copy

The full name and complete
mailing address of the person to whom the certificate is to be mailed

Area code and daytime
telephone number of the person requesting the death certificate

Other information you consider
helpful in the search for the death certificate (Example: nicknames, alias,
place of burial, etc.)

Death records become public
records after fifty (50) years and then any person may obtain certified copies.
Deaths for 1915-1952 are available for public reviewing at the South Carolina
Department of Archives and History, 8301 Parklane Road, Columbia, South Carolina
29223. Access to a microfiche index and microfilm of these deaths is available
at the Archives' Reference Room. No appointment is needed and there is no charge
for viewing the records. If copies are needed, a work order provided at the
Reference Room must be completed. The Reference Room staff will provide
information about charges for copies and schedule for receiving copies.
Self-service copying is available. Inquiries must be made in person or by
telephone. The Reference Room is open Monday - Friday, 8:45 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.
daily. For additional information, telephone (803) 896-6104. Application Forms

Notes:

A law
mandating registration of all births and deaths in South
Carolina was signed into law on 1 September 1914. Actual
registration began in 1915, and South Carolina achieved
90-percent compliance within a few years. South Carolina
had no law requiring marriage licenses or registration
until 1911, though many earlier records were recorded on
the county level. For birth and death records in the last
fifty years and marriage records from 1 July 1950, write:
South Carolina Department of Health and Environment
Control, Bureau of Vital Statistics, J. Marion Sims
Building, 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC 29201-1797

For
birth and death records from 1915 to "50 years
ago," write: South Carolina Department of Archives
and History, 1430 Senate Street, P.O. Box 11669, Capitol
Station, Columbia, SC 29211-1669

For
marriage records prior to 1950, write to the probate
judge of the county in question.

Married November 25, 1880, at the house of Mr. George Dodd, by Profs. Riley and
Strong, Mr. Miles Norton Cannon and Miss Ella Vashti Neal. Also by the same
clergymen on the same evening, at the home of the bride, Mr. John T. Walt and
Miss Jeannett Hawkins, both of Oconee County. (Submitted by: Sharon Gibson at
sgibson@uh.org)

COE & HUGHES

Married by the Rev. S.L. Morris, November 11, 1880, at the residence of the
bride's mother, Mr. H.L. Coe of Atlanta and Miss Sallie L. Hughes of Oconee.
(Submitted by: Sharon Gibson at sgibson@uh.org)

ELLARD & HAYS

Married by D.H. Carter, Esq., on the 7th of November, 1880, Mr. James C. Ellard
of Oconee to Miss Polley Hays of Habersham County, Georgia. (Submitted by:
Sharon Gibson at sgibson@uh.org)

STEWART &
GEORGEMarried at the residence of the bride's mother, Mrs. M.D. George, on Tuesday
morning, November 30, 1880, by Rev. S.L. Morris, Mr. R.T. Stewart of Pickens
County to Miss Neomi L. George of Walhalla. The bride and groom left
immediately for their future home in Pickens County. Our people are loath to
lose Miss George, as few ladies possessed in a higher degree those qualities of
head and heart which make woman the ornament and pride of society, or displayed
in life more of that industry and energy which make the wife the helpmeet as
well as companion of man. Pickens owes us a debt, and we trust some of our
youths may yet reimburse our loss by capturing the hand and heart of some of our
neighbor's fair damsels. The twain have our best wishes for their future health
and prosperity. (Submitted by: Sharon
Gibson at sgibson@uh.org)